Muhammad Ali was known to many as ‘The Greatest.’
The boxing legend is widely recognised as one of the most significant sports stars of all time, not only for his efforts inside the ring but also his activism work out of it.
Ali became a three-time heavyweight champion, and was involved in some of the biggest fights of all time, including the Rumble in the Jungle with George Foreman, and the Thrilla in Manila with Joe Frazier.
Despite his accolades, Ali didn’t view himself as the greatest of all time, and instead named the man who he deemed to be even better than him.
“I would say Jack Johnson.”
Jack Johnson was the first black world heavyweight champion, and is seen as one of the most important and influential figures for helping to transcend the sport.
Ali then went on to rank a further three fighters.
“From what I saw of Jack Dempsey. Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis. You can rank me where you want to.”
Jack Dempsey was another iconic heavyweight, who reigned as world champion for seven years from 1999 to 1926, and set a number of attendance records during his career.
Sugar Ray Robinson was a welterweight and middleweight world champion, who ended his career with a formidable record of 174 wins from 201 contests.
Joe Louis was world heavyweight champion from 1937 until his initial retirement in 1949, and set a record which still stands to this day of 25 consecutive title defences.
Ali’s humbleness didn’t stop there, as he also named the fighter from a different era who he felt would have defeated him in his prime.
